The best tool EVER!

If you had asked me six months ago what my favorite tool is, I would’ve responded instantly. It would have been the liquid cool saw, hands down. Not that I’m against more flexible multiple-use tools, or that I don’t occasionally enjoy something more elemental such as a torch or sledgehammer. Still there’s something intimately soothing about gliding easily and quietly through steel bars with your saw. It just has a certain attraction.

That attraction has been trumped in recent months by Ryobi’s release of their new lithium battery powered cordless drill for individual sale. I had been slavering over the whole lithium-powered set at Home Depot since September, but when would I ever really use a lithium powered flashlight? And for $250, the whole thing was just not in my price range. But I wanted that drill…

Let me explain: I have been a loyal Ryobi customer since aught one. When final studio projects were due in my architecture classes and there was a shortage of drills available to borrow, I needed something affordable on a work-study salary. Despite my love and trust in DeWalt, it was out of the question. I went with Ryobi, a brand at that time that I barely knew. It has not disappointed me yet. I remain fond of my drill, named ‘Benny’, and he continues to be a useful part of my tool family.

Benny however is getting on in years, and is a little lonely. And for really big jobs, he needs a second battery I don’t have. And with the price of a spare battery being almost that of an entirely new drill, the time may soon come when Benny moves to the second shelf, his responsibilities handled by a longer-lasting lithium model. Not because I love him less, but instead to give him a little rest. It would be a much deserved one.